


The World Moves On

by orphan_account



Category: Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy X & Final Fantasy X-2, Final Fantasy X-2
Genre: Fluff and Angst, M/M, The Dark Tower references
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-13
Updated: 2015-12-13
Packaged: 2018-05-06 12:16:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5416649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lord Rin wants to set up a travel agency in Zanarkand, but he has to get through Isaaru first.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Lord Rin sank down up to his neck in the hot water of his bath and leaned his head back with a sigh. Normally a nice soak dissolved all of his worries, but tonight even the lavender he had crushed in the water didn't help him relax. Rin had a problem: namely, he wanted something, and he had no idea how to go about obtaining it.

He had just gotten back from a journey to Zanarkand, where he had hoped to set up a branch of his travel agency. He prided himself on being a forward thinker, and he had made most of his considerable fortune by anticipating events, such as the lull that came between Blitz tournaments in Luca. For example, by coming up with the game of Spherebreak that anyone could play provided they had some basic equipment-- which he sold on the side, of course-- he had made himself a tidy sum that easily covered several times over the dress sphere he gave as a prize.

However Rin had been quite disappointed in himself for failing to predict one of the biggest tourism booms in Spira's history: the influx of people at the Zanarkand ruins. By the time he heard about the hoards of tourists who had come to the dome, the monkeys had taken over and the people had drifted away, too worried that fiends would come from the ruined temple as they had from the others.

But now that Vegnagun was destroyed and the Calm was (hopefully) back for good, Rin had a feeling the tourists would return. He had flown out to Zanarkand to scout out the best location for an agency building, only to find that the dome was closed. By asking around, Rin learned that a former summoner named Isaaru was behind it, although, as one woman selling trinkets commented, no one knew why he wanted to close up such _fabulous_ ruins. Apparently Isaaru had been holed up inside the ruins ever since. If it were Rin living in the temple, he thought, it would have something to do with the dozens of treasure chests said to be inside-- strange chests that refilled themselves periodically.

Rin had tried to speak with Isaaru, but the man refused to see him. All Rin got was a brief glimpse of him through a crack in the temple door. He was a young man, with pinned-back brown hair, dark blue eyes, and a very straight nose.  Rin remember seeing him once before, on Cid's airship as the remnants of the Al Bhed escaped from their ruined Home-- looks like Isaaru's rarely escaped Rin's notice.  However, the two had never met, and Isaaru didn't seem to recognize Rin at all.

In fact, Lord Rin had no influence on Isaaru whatsoever.  Amazingly, Rin's offers of increasingly larger sums of money had no effect on him, nor did Rin's entourage of Luca's most beautiful women.

One of those women now knocked on the door, jolting Rin out of his reverie. "Lord Rin? Are you all right? You've been in there an hour."

Rin started, suddenly realizing that his bath water had grown rather cold. Grumbling in his native Al Bhed, he got to his feet and rubbed a towel over his tall, lean body. _I **do** look good for my age,_ Rin mused proudly as he wrapped a bath robe around himself and unpinned his long blond hair.

He stepped out of the bathroom and nearly tripped over his anxious attendant. She beamed up at him and clung to his arm, a habit he had at first found cute but which now grated on his nerves. He pulled his arm free and stalked over to his bed.

"Would you like your massage now, sir?" the woman asked.

"No, not tonight." Rin sat down on the bed, chin in hand.

"Is. . . something bothering you?"

Rin looked up at her, but his eyes were focused somewhere to the right of her face. "How do I get that summoner to reopen the temple?"

"Oh, erm. . . offer more money?"

Rin shook his head impatiently. "No, if he wouldn't take what I've already offered, that isn't going to work."

"Um. . . why don't you ask the Gullwings to talk to him? He's friends with them, I've heard."

"No." Rin sighed and lay back on the bed. "The people I talked to said Lady Yuna is the one who convinced him to close the dome in the first place."

"Well, then _I_ don't know!" The attendant was beginning to get sulky.

"Go on to bed."  Rin waved her off.  "I don't need anything else."

"Hmph. Good _night_ , sir," she snapped, stalking out of the room and shutting the door hard behind her. Rin groaned and closed his eyes.

What _was_ he going to do? By now it wasn't just a chance to make money; it was a matter of pride. _No one_ refused Lord Rin. He would have to go back, that was for certain, as soon as he thought of a way to make Isaaru listen to reason.

 _Best sleep on it,_ Rin thought, rolling over onto his stomach and wrapping his arms around his pillow. Sleep, however, refused to come, and Lord Rin lay awake long into the night thinking of the blue-eyed summoner and what he could possibly desire.

\--

A few days later, Lord Rin returned to Zanarkand. After much thought, he had decided that someone like Isaaru just couldn't be bribed. Instead, Rin planned to simply explain the situation in such a way that Isaaru couldn't help but see what a good idea it was to bring the tourists back to the ruins.

This time Rin left his entourage behind in Luca and walked up to the ruins alone. It really was beautiful there, if one could overlook the smell and noise of the monkeys. Night had fallen, and pyreflies danced constantly in thick paths through the sky, as if imitating the trail of stars high above marking the galaxy in which Spira moved. As he neared the dome, Rin could just make out the campfires of the few remaining tourists in the distance, but they almost seemed like other, lower stars.

Gravel and bits of tile crunched under Rin's feet as he walked up to the heavy, closed doors of the disintegrating temple. He raised the great knocker on one door and let it fall. The echoing thud it made disturbed the still air, and a monkey screeched and ran away.

After a moment, the door creaked open a little, and an intensely blue eye peered out through the crack. "Yes? . . . oh. It's you again."

People didn't usually sound so disappointed to see Lord Rid. "Erm, yes." The Al Bhed cleared his throat. "I would like to have some words with you, Isaaru."

Neither the door nor the eye budged. "What is it?"

"May I come in?"

There was a long pause, then Isaaru pulled the door open. Rin stepped inside, noticing that things were as run down there as outside. Isaaru closed the door behind him, then stood with his hands folded in the sleeves of the summoner's robes he still wore.  He was even more beautiful that Rin had remembered from the airship two years ago, but he spoke to Rin coldly.

"What did you wish to discuss? If this is about your travel agency, I have not changed my mind--"

"It is about that, in a way," Rin interrupted smoothly, "but not that alone. We can discuss that later. First, I have another favor to ask of you."

"What is that?"

"Will you honor me with a tour of the ruins?"

Isaaru looked surprised. "I. . . do not give tours any more."

"Please." Rin smiled at him, remembering to show his teeth, which looked especially white against his tanned skin. "I'll pay you of course."

"No, don't pay me.  I'll do it for free," Isaaru muttered. "But only in the hopes that you will see why this place should be sealed."

"I was under the impression that you were the one who wanted to bring the tourists here," Rin commented as they walked deeper into the temple.

"Not the only one. It was Cid's idea to begin with, although I agreed with him for some time." Isaaru sighed, trailing his fingertips along the faded wall. "But I was wrong. Lady Yuna convinced me of that, by encouraging the monkeys to, ah, mate," he added with a little smile. "The growing number of monkeys helped drive away the tourists."

"But why is it wrong for people to come here and live a part of Spira's history?" Rin persisted. They stepped onto a lift, which shuddered into movement as it lowered them to the basement of the temple.

"Because Zanarkand is just that: history." Isaaru sat down on a fallen column in the next room, staring at the floor. "It means little to today's Spirans. What they think they see when they come here, and what this place really is. . . those things differ so greatly."

Rin carefully sat on another piece of rubble facing Isaaru, their knees nearly touching. "Don't you see how that can be changed? You could help them see what Zanarkand truly is, as only one trained as a summoner could. We could do it together, Isaaru-- I could bring them here. And you could open their eyes."

Rin knew that if anything could move Isaaru to his side, it was this. The assertion that he, Rin, understood how Isaaru felt. . . combined with a little ego-stroking. Isaaru looked at him a moment, but then he shook his head.

"No. Lord Rin, the spirituality of Zanarkand is like being in love. You can feel it with all your heart, but you can't make someone else feel it no matter how much you want to. It is something one must come to feel on one's own, or not at all."

" _Have_ you ever been in love, Summoner?" Rin asked, the corners of his mouth twitching. Isaaru's pale cheeks flushed brightly in response. "I thought not," Rin went on.  "You speak of it as an ideal-- but truly, one _can_ make someone else feel love. . . or at least lust, which amounts to the same thing."

The shy blush drained from Isaaru's face and his cobalt eyes hardened. "How dare you compare the holiness of Zanarkand to something as base as lust? You understand nothing-- only sex and gil!"  He paused, then growled, "Just like all the others of your kind."

"My kind?" Rin challenged harshly, feeling anger towards Isaaru for the first time. "You mean Al Bhed?"

"No.  Not Al Bhed-- merchants, the wealthy. Go prostitute some other land.  You have no right to tread on the holy ground of Zanarkand!" Isaaru got to his feet, tossing his long bangs out of his face angrily. "If it weren't so late, I would drive you out of here. As it is, you can sleep here tonight, but you will leave at daybreak."

Rin's ire had melted as soon as he'd realized Isaaru was slighting his chosen profession, not his race.  In fact, Isaaru now intrigued him more than ever.  No one had spoken to Rin in such a way since he was a child-- and, he mused, no one had ever looked so lovely while furious.  Anger brought the placid summoner to life.

"Where do you wish me to sleep?" Rin asked mildly, gazing up at the younger man. Isaaru had obviously been preparing for a fight, for he looked lost when Rin didn't yell back at him. His shoulders sank, but then he turned away from Rin coldly.

"My quarters are through that door to the right. Rest there tonight-- but I expect you to be gone in the morning."  Isaaru stalked off in the direction of the lift, leaving Rin alone in the rubble-filled room.

He had greatly misjudged Isaaru, it seemed. And yet. . . he didn't really mind, even if it meant he couldn't built his travel agency there. Instead, Rin was glad the summoner had such caring in him. _Pity it's wasted on this dead temple,_ he thought.

Isaaru's quarters consisted of a small room which had likely been a confessional at one time. Besides a sleeping pallet, some blankets, and a few books, there was no sign that anyone lived there now. Rin wondered how Isaaru would pass the night. Alone as always, he assumed as he lay down and pulled a blanket over him. Another pity. Rin's thoughts kept returning to the embarrassed flush on the young man's cheeks at the mention of his inexperience with romance.

Perhaps it was the innocence of the summoner, or his stubborn devoutness. Quite possibly his delicate, almost feminine looks had a lot to do with it as well. But whatever the reason, Rin found himself wishing he held Isaaru against him in the darkness of the Zanarkand temple.

\--

Rin slept fitfully for a while, but after several years of comfortable beds, Isaaru's lumpy pallet caused him to wake in the middle of the night. After tossing and turning a bit, he gave up and decided he could sleep the next day after he returned to Luca. Remembering that he hadn't finished his tour, Rin got up quietly and made his way on through the temple, toeing rubble out of the way as he went.

Rin went up a flight of stairs to reach the temple's roof, which was flat and offered a stunning view of Zanarkand with its mixture of stars and pyreflies. Luca too was dotted with lights, but they were the artificial lights of a bustling city. Rin bit his lip and nodded slowly. Isaaru was right. This was no place for a travel agency-- or for Rin.

"I'm sorry, Lord Rin." Isaaru's voice came from just behind Rin, making him jump. He turned to face the summoner sheepishly and found the deep blue eyes looking back, every bit as abashed as Rin's own.

"You're sorry?" Rin echoed.  "For what? You were right, Isaaru. I deserved everything you said.  In fact, I was thinking of leaving now--"

"No. Don't go." Isaaru stepped forward and grasped Rin's arms, looking up at him earnestly. "I shouldn't have said what I did.  I. . . sometimes speak and act too hastily."  He let go of Rin and took a step back, bowing slightly.  "Please forgive me.  And please-- at least allow me to show you the rest of the temple in the morning, before you leave."

"I rather like it right here," Rin replied, his eyes fixed on the summoner. "The view is quite lovely."

Isaaru looked up at him, slightly flushed.  "Yes.  I like it up here."  He turned abruptly and walked to the edge of the roof, where he stood overlooking Zanarkand with its lights and darkness.

"How did you know I was here?" Rin asked, watching the summoner's back.  It seemed broad, but Rin had a suspicion that the breadth came from Isaaru's ornate robes, which all but swallowed and overshadowed his delicate face from the front.  Isaaru's high ponytail looked incongruously casual in comparison to the rest of the summoner's attire.

" I. . . could not sleep without making amends for my behavior, so I went to apologize to you.  But you weren't there," Isaaru replied.  He turned back to Rin, smiling a little.  "And I thought you might be up here, looking for the best spot in the landscape for your agency."

"I see," replied Rin wryly.  "I appreciate your concern for my feelings, though."

"Of course, I did have an ulterior motive," the summoner went on, almost teasingly.  "It's still my job to watch out for people here, you know.  If anything happened to you here, I could never forgive myself."

Rin chuckled and sat down on the roof, stretching out his long legs as he assured Isaaru, "I can take care of myself."  Isaaru's smile melted away, and he tilted his head back to look up at the stars instead of at Rin.  His sad expression concerned the Al Bhed.

"And so can Zanarkand," he added on impulse. "Isaaru, you've sealed it away. . . you don't have to stay here to guard it."

"And the moment I leave, you'll move in your travel agency."

"No!" Rin scowled. "I won't. Maybe you're right that no one should come here. Let it die and fade away. But you don't have to fade with it."

"What difference would it make?" Isaaru glanced down at him, his dark blue eyes almost black in the starlight. "I'd be as alone out there as I am in here." He sighed heavily and sat down next to Rin, fingering the bow on his robes. "The world has moved on, and left us summoners-- or me, at least-- behind."

"You sound like a gunner I met once," Rin murmured, watching Isaaru's long fingers as they played with the ribbons. "He was fond of saying that 'the world moves on'-- when he talked at all, that is."

"Was he a summoner?"

"No." Rin stretched his legs out in front of him. "I don't know who he was, really.  He spent one night in my inn, and I never saw him again. Sometimes I think I just dreamed him. And then sometimes, I think he was real, but from another. . . not from Spira." Isaaru's fingers stopped moving, and Rin paused to raise his eyes to the summoner's face.  "That's the one other thing he said: 'There are other worlds than this.'" Rin and Isaaru gazed at each other a moment, the Rin laughed dismissively and looked away. "But most likely I'm just getting old, and none of it really happened."

" _I_ think it happened." Isaaru rested a hand on Rin's shoulder tentatively. "Perhaps he was unsent.  That would explain why he felt the world left him behind-- and why he seemed not to belong in Spira."

"Perhaps," Rin said, though he didn't really believe it.  The gunner-- an unshaven, dark-haired man in strange clothing with some fingers missing from one hand-- had _never_ belonged in Spira.  Even his name, Roland, was strange to Rin.  He had spoken so little, let left such an impression on the Al Bhed who saw hundreds of guests every year, that Rin knew instinctively that he was. . . somebody.  Maybe a kind of summoner after all, separated from his guardians but still on his pilgrimage to find and defeat the Sin of some other world: a Sin that, like Spira's, would keep returning until someone finally understood how to banish it forever.

"Lord Rin?"  Isaaru's quiet voice drew Rin back to the present, to the glittering night and the summoner's warm hand still on his shoulder.

"Yes, Isaaru?"

"You never explained. . . ."  Isaaru drew back his hand.  "Why do you suggest that I leave Zanarkand?"

Rin sighed softly.  "Just. . . just to show you that you don't _have_ to be alone.  Maybe the world _has_ moved on, but you can find happiness."  He turned to look at Isaaru's profile as the summoner still looked out on the dim landscape around them.  "Come away with me, just for a few days," Rin persisted.  "I promise I'll bring you straight back here if you decide you want to return."

Isaaru looked at him askance. "You _promise_?"

"Yes."

Isaaru was quiet a moment, then he nodded. "All right. Just to prove you wrong." He looked at Rin face-on then, and the corners of his mouth turned up in a teasing smile that stirred Rin's blood.

"Oh?" the Al Bhed breathed.  "Wrong about what?"

"I will want to return."

Rin didn't answer, for he suspected that Isaaru could be right-- and for that matter, Rin wasn't even sure what he wanted to accomplish by taking Isaaru on a. . . vacation.  He didn't want Isaaru to be alone anymore, certainly-- but mostly because Rin wanted Isaaru to be with _him_.

 _How terrible and selfish of me,_ Rin thought to himself with amusement as he lay down on his back and stared up at the thickly starry sky, feeling the sun's heat still trapped in the warm stone beneath him. He hadn't taken time to look at the stars in years, and they were beautiful there in Zanarkand with no artificial light to compete with their shine. By turning his head a little, he could see Isaaru's pale face and the shine of pyreflies reflected in his dark eyes.

"Being a summoner was my life," Isaaru said abruptly. "And it was supposed to be my death. I don't have anything else."

 _Maybe it **is** selfish of me, but he needs to get out of here,_ Rin realized

"You'll find it, my dear," Rin murmured drowsily.  "You just have to give yourself a chance."

"I don't deserve that chance," Isaaru mumbled.  Rin wondered what had given Isaaru that idea, but he was too tired to discuss it then.

"We should get some rest," he told Isaaru gently. "We'll have a long journey to make tomorrow."

"I. . . want to stay up here for just a few more minutes." Isaaru lay back next to the Al Bhed, the silky sleeve of his robe brushing Rin's hand. Rin's fingers twitched reflexively and came to rest against the summoner's as his eyes dropped closed.


	2. Chapter 2

When Rin woke up early the next morning, he felt like he could never move again. The night spent on the temple's flat stone roof had caused his back to lock up in protest, and when he tried to change positions, a bolt of pain shot down his spine. However, he forgot all about the pain when he realized that Isaaru was asleep next to him, an arm draped across Rin's chest.

_How lovely,_  Rin thought with a little smile. He laid his hand against Isaaru's shoulder and drew it down the length of his arm, feeling tight muscles beneath the delicate silk of his robe's sleeve. Isaaru stirred at his touch.

"Mn. . . oh!" The summoner sat up quickly, his cheeks flushing. "G-good morning." He looked around, then stared when he saw the sun rising across the landscape of Zanarkand. "Oh no. . . I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to make you sleep outside!" He gave a hasty bow, even though he was seated.

Rin chuckled. "It's all right." He tried to sit up and cringed. "If you don't mind helping me up, that is."

"Certainly." Isaaru put his arms around Rin's shoulders and helped him into a sitting position, wincing in sympathy when the Al Bhed's spine cracked in protest.

"I guess I'm not young enough to be sleeping on the ground any more," Rin joked, clinging to Isaaru for support as he looked down at the flustered summoner's face.

"I'm so sorry," Isaaru said again, sliding his hands down Rin's back to massage his lower spine. "Is that any better?"

"Oh. . . yes." Rin bit back a moan of pleasure at the summoner's touch. The pain in his back eased under Isaaru's hands, much quicker than when he was in the care of his regular masseuse. After a moment, though, he gently pulled away from Isaaru's grasp, not trusting himself to keep his composure. "Thank you."

Isaaru nodded, still blushing, and clasped his hands together awkwardly, watching as Rin slowly stood then stretched. Other than his back, he felt better than he had in years.  _Probably the fresh air,_  he thought.

As they walked back down into the temple together, Rin asked, "You haven't changed your mind about coming with me, have you?"

"No, I'll come. Just let me get my things." Isaaru left Rin standing amid the rubble (and not a few monkeys) while he disappeared into his room. Rin had planned on taking Isaaru back to Luca with him, but the thought of all the people there who would demand his attention changed his mind. No, the Highroad would be a better choice. It would be less overwhelming for Isaaru- and they would have more time to be alone together.

"I'm ready." Rin turned to see Isaaru next to him, laden with a pack slung over one shoulder. "Where are we going?"

"The Mi'ihen Highroad. I need to check on how things are going there." After they exited the ruined temple, Rin waited while Isaaru resealed the door and gave the dome one last glance.

"We've had some problems with the machina recently," Rin went on as they walked slowly towards his hover. "I want to be sure they're running smoothly again."

"I see." Isaaru frowned a little. "I have to admit, I still don't trust machina entirely."

"I wouldn't expect you to," Rin said with a little smile. "After our. . . trouble, I made sure that there were plenty of chocobos around the Highroad as well. You can ride them if you prefer."

He helped Isaaru into the hover and took off for the Highroad. Isaaru didn't look entirely comfortable at speeding around in the hover, so Rin tried to distract him.

"I heard that you went to Bevelle at one point after closing the dome in Zanarkand. Why did you come back?"

"I was only helping until Praetor Baralai returned." Isaaru leaned over to look out the window of the hover, then quickly sat back when he saw how fast the ground was passing beneath them. "My brothers are still there, but Bevelle was too crowded for me, after staying in Zanarkand for so long."

_Good thing I decided not to take him to Luca,_  Rin thought. Aloud, he said, "I'm sure you would have been an excellent Praetor had something happened to Baralai."

"I don't know." Isaaru looked down at his hands, folded neatly in his lap. "I'm just glad Baralai came back safely."

When they neared the Highroad, Rin pointed out the bright yellow chocobos mixed in with the blue and silver machina. He brought the hover down to land next to his travel agency and inn. A chocobo looked up and squawked as they disembarked, then went back to searching for greens.

Inside the travel agency, Rin asked the girl working at the front desk for the keys to the inn's nicest suite, then handed them to Isaaru.

"I hope you enjoy your stay," the Al Bhed said with a smile at the surprised expression on Isaaru's face.

"Th-thank you," he stammered. "I didn't expect. . . ."

"You are my guest," Rin said, leading him up to his rooms. "I want you to have the best I can offer you."

"Thank you," the summoner said again as he looked around the spacious room with its view overlooking the Old Road. "This is beautiful."

"I'll let you get settled. If you can come back downstairs in a couple hours, we'll have dinner with the other guests."

"All right." Isaaru smiled at him, looking so beautiful Rin had to force himself to leave the room quickly. His back was again aching fiercely, which helped distract him from his thoughts of the summoner. . . but not much. Rin went to the room he kept for himself for when he had business at the Highroad, where he drew a hot bath. The water eased the pain in his back, and his mind immediately returned to Isaaru.

Rin hadn't felt this way for someone like this in a long time: desire mixed with an affectionate warmth, a slight breathlessness whenever he looked into those deep blue eyes. Rin chuckled to himself at his own infatuation. Maybe it was one of those mid-life crises he had heard of, where men began to pursue younger women. . . only in his case it was no woman but a beautiful young man who had captured his attention.

After his relaxing bath, Rin dressed in the nicest suit of clothes he had with him and carefully arranged his long gold hair before going down to dinner. Isaaru was already there, apparently trying to avoid conversation with anyone by staring down at his place setting. The other diners- only the three staff members of the inn, since travelers were few at that time of year- rose when Rin entered the room. Isaaru looked up, then blushed and quickly stood as well. Rin motioned for everyone to be seated, then took his place next to Isaaru.

"Is your room to your liking?" he asked the summoner, who nodded.

"Yes, it's lovely." Isaaru smiled at him. "It's nice to have a bed again after sleeping on the ground for so long."

For dinner, they were served imported Sallet claws and steamed Tentacles, with sautéed Bully Caps. Isaaru practically inhaled his food, causing Rin to wonder just what he ate while living in the temple. The summoner politely refused the wine he was offered, however, drinking water instead.

"How long are you going to be staying with us, Isaaru?" the girl from the front desk asked. To Rin's irritation, she appeared to be trying to flirt with the summoner.

"Well, I don't want to impose. . . ."

"Nonsense. You're welcome to stay as long as you'd like," Rin assured him.

"I shouldn't leave the temple for more than a few days. . . . I'll be here a week at most," Isaaru said.

"Oh, that's wonder-"

"We will do everything in our power to make your visit a pleasant one," Rin interrupted the girl smoothly. "Would you like some more food, or are you saving room for dessert?"

"Dessert?" Isaaru's eyes brightened considerably. "That sounds wonderful."

Hiding a chuckle, Rin ordered the dessert brought out. It was gelatinous and tasted of very sweet vanilla.

"What is this?" Isaaru asked as he devoured his serving. "It's delicious!"

"Flan Palido. Freshly captured, I do believe."

"It's a. . . flan?" Isaaru stared down at his dessert, which jiggled rather accusingly. ". . . Oh."

Rin smiled to himself; obviously Isaaru had a lot to learn about haute cuisine. The summoner didn't touch his plate again for the rest of the meal, but he seemed more at ease afterwards, when Rin took him outside to show him the High Road at sunset.

"There's a small settlement out that way," Rin pointed to the north. "We can go there tomorrow, either by hover or by chocobo, if you'd like." When Isaaru nodded, Rin went on, "I'm sorry there's not more to do out here, but the slower pace is nice sometimes. And of course, you'll meet all manner of travelers."

"This is fine," Isaaru murmured. "Better to watch the travelers than be one, for once." He smiled at Rin sweetly. "Thank you for expending this effort for my sake, Lord Rin. Whatever your motivation, I appreciate your concern for me."

"My motivation?" Rin arched an eyebrow.

The summoner's cheeks flushed slightly. "I know you said that you were no longer interested in putting a travel agency in Zanarkand, but. . . I hope you won't be offended if I remain a little suspicious. I don't mean to be rude, but. . . ." Rin had to bite back a laugh of relief that Isaaru hadn't guessed of Rin's infatuation after all.

"Is that all?" Rin chuckled. "Suspicion is healthy, and what's more, it's the mark of a good businessman. I do have your best interests at heart, Isaaru, but I don't expect you to believe that just yet- especially considering my reputation and how I behaved towards you when we first met." He smiled at Isaaru, wanting to put a friendly hand on his shoulder but not trusting himself to do so. "All I ask is some time in which to convince you that there is a life beyond Zanarkand worth living."

"Fair enough." The summoner was the one to reached out touch Rin's arm gently. He seemed to seek out physical contact, Rin had noticed- not that Rin was complaining. "If you'll excuse me, though, I think I'll go to bed. The journey here tired me."

"Of course." Rin gave in and took Isaaru's outstretched hand in his, squeezing it gently. "Pleasant dreams, Isaaru."

Isaaru inclined his head, his high cheekbones slightly flushed, then he left Rin and walked back to the inn. The Al Bhed watched him go, the slight figure shrouded in such heavy robes, with a good idea about who would be haunting his own dreams.

\--

The next day after breakfast, Rin attempted to get Isaaru on a chocobo.

"I'm not sure this is a good idea," the summoner said nervously, looking up at one of the large yellow birds. "Perhaps I should just walk."

"Nonsense! The Highroad is too broad for you to have to walk everywhere you wish to go. Besides, they are quite gentle." Rin patted the chocobo on the neck, but the bird wanted none of it: he bent his head and tried to bite Rin's hand in his rather large beak. Rin drew his hand back quickly and put it behind his back.

"Oh really?" Isaaru said skeptically, eyeing Rin's guarded hand.

"Yes," Rin said firmly. " _Tufh_!" he commanded the chocobo in Al Bhed. The bird gave him a resigned look and knelt on the ground. "See?" Rin said proudly to Isaaru. "Climb on."

"I don't know. . . ."

"I will ride behind you and hold the ends of the reins," Rin promised. "That way if you feel uncomfortable, I can take over."

"Is it strong enough to carry us both?" asked Isaaru, grimacing a little.

"Oh yes. Pekpent is a tough old bird," Rin assured him. "Here, I'll get on first." He mounted the chocobo, settling himself just behind the saddle, and took the ends of the reins. "Come on, Isaaru. I promise I won't let anything happen to you." He gave the summoner his most dazzling smile.

Isaaru met his eyes, the nodded faintly. "All right." The summoner slowly approached, petting the chocobo's neck as he straddled it. Rin handed him the reins, keeping hold of the ends just in case.

"Ready?" he murmured in the summoner's ear as Isaaru settled back in the saddle, practically in Rin's lap. Rin was nearly driven to distraction by the feeling of silky robes on his bare chest, not to mention Isaaru's scent and his soft hair brushing Rin's cheek.

"I think so," Isaaru returned, oblivious to his companion's thoughts. Rin make a clucking noise to the bird, and Pekpent stood. Isaaru clutched the saddle in front of him tightly. "Wh-what if I fall off? It's. . . a long way down."

"I won't let you fall." Rin rested his hands on Isaaru's hips to steady him, thrilling at the feeling of the summoner's narrow body under his robes. "You'll be fine. Just steer him north."

"What's to the north?" Isaaru asked as Pekpent lurched forward. The summoner's face was pale as a White Elemental, but to his credit, he kept his voice from shaking.

"There is the settlement I mentioned, as well as some of the loveliest scenery Mi'ihen has to offer. The remains of the old Highroad are there." Rin tried to keep his voice steady, despite the feeling of Isaaru's hips shifting beneath his hands with each step of the chocobo.

"What about to the south?"

"The road that way leads to Luca. It's a rather long journey, and one better made by hover. But if you would like to go there instead-"

"This is fine," Isaaru assured him quickly. "I don't think I should go very far on, uh, Pen-Pen."

"Pekpent."

"Pekpent. Besides, after staying in Bevelle, I'd prefer to stay away from cities for a whi- ohh!" Isaaru yelped as a small machina popped out of the bushes alongside the road, startling the chocobo. Pekpent squawked and bolted, kicking up clouds of dust behind his clawed feet as he ran. It was fortunate that Rin had hold of the reins, for Isaaru dropped them completely to grip the saddle, white-knuckled. Rin hauled back on the reins, but Pekpent was in no mood to listen to a mere human.

"I'll fall!" Isaaru wailed, squeezing his eyes shut. Rin wrapped one arm around his waist, holding the younger man against him, and did his best to control the frightened bird. The settlement at the north end of the Highroad flashed by, then Pekpent turned down what was left of the Old Road. He might have kept right on going into the unknown territories if not for the Old Road's dead end. The chocobo reared back when confronted with the road block, then finally came to a halt, stamping his foot and ruffling his feathers.

Two young men had been sitting on the ground- probably slacking off from whatever work they were supposed to be doing, Rin thought irritably- but they jumped to their feet at Pekpent's approach. One of them said, "Uh, Lord Rin? Is everything okay?"

"Make yourself useful and hold these," Rin snapped at him, thrusting the reins in the man's direction. When the chocobo was firmly in hand, Rin slid off its back and helped Isaaru down. The summoner stood clutching Rin's arms and breathing hard. "Are you all right?" Rin asked him gently.

"I thought. . . you said. . . it was safe," Isaaru panted.

"It  _is_. He's usually not like that; I can't imagine what got into him." Isaaru's brown hair had come loose from its ponytail in the wild ride and now hung around his face. In combination with the flush that had come to his flushed cheeks, it made him look stunningly beautiful.

"Uh, what should I do with-" the man with the chocobo began, interrupting Rin's admiration of the summoner.

"Take him back to the travel agency," Rin said, giving both young men such an irritated look, they hurried off without another word. "Are you sure you're all right?" Rin persisted, moving closer and slipping his arms about the shaking Isaaru to steady him.

"Yes." Isaaru gave an embarrassed laugh and refused to meet Rin's gaze. "I guess I. . . overreacted a little. But. . . ." Now he looked up into Rin's eyes. "Thank you for not letting me fall."

"Of course." Rin smiled down at him, holding him a little closer. "You are my guest, and it is my duty to protect you- even from grumpy old chocobos." He lifted a hand to push Isaaru's loose hair back from his face. "We can walk back to the settlement- you can see the Old Road better on foot anyway."

"A-all right." Isaaru flushed all over again as Rin's fingers brushed his cheek, but he smiled all the same. Rin led him along the Old Road and back to the northern settlement, still with one arm about Isaaru's waist. The summoner did not protest in the least and even pressed closer to Rin from time to time.

After resting at the settlement, Rin readied a hover to transport them back to the travel agency. Isaaru still seemed a little nervous about traveling by machina, but he quickly assured Rin that he much preferred it to another stint on Pekpent.

As they flew back, Rin found his gaze drifting to Isaaru's face again and again. Unaware, the summoner looked out the window as Rin traced his elegant profile with his eyes. He was doing his best to ensure that Isaaru enjoyed himself, Pekpent aside, but not just because he wanted to prove Isaaru wrong about life outside Zanarkand, in the world that had moved on. Rin also just wanted Isaaru to be happy. What had begun as mere lust for the young man was swiftly turning into desire for Isaaru's affection as well as his body. Rin supposed that there were all kinds of reasons why he shouldn't fall in love with Isaaru, but at the moment, he couldn't think of any that mattered.

They parted in mid-afternoon to rest and prepare for dinner. Rin felt as if he could hardly wait for the dinner hour to arrive; he spent the endless time in between washing, dressing and redressing, and styling his hair over and over in the attempt to look his absolute best. He even went downstairs a few minutes early, but Isaaru did not appear in the dining room then or even several minutes after the appointed dinner hour. Rin finally told his staff to go ahead and eat while he went to check on the summoner.

Rin was worried when Isaaru didn't answer his knock, and after a brief internal debate, he let himself into the summoner's room. As it turned out, he had had nothing to worry about: Isaaru was sprawled across the bed, fast asleep. Apparently the day's excitement had exhausted him. Smiling in relief and tenderness, Rin tiptoed to the bed and covered Isaaru with a blanket. Isaaru's hair again had fallen in his face, so Rin crouched next to him a moment to brush the brunet strands away.

_I wonder what you're dreaming of,_  Rin thought as he gazed down at the younger man. He looked longingly at the summoner's slightly parted lips, then forced himself to stand and turn away. No matter how heavily Isaaru slept, Rin didn't dare kiss him for fear that Isaaru would wake, and Rin would lose all the trust he was working so hard to gain.

Later that night, Rin was reading in his room when someone knocked on his door. His hopes were answered when he opened it to find Isaaru standing there, looking slightly embarrassed.

"I'm sorry I missed dinner," the summoner apologized. "I guess I got too tired today; I slept right through it."

"Don't worry about it," Rin assured him. "Would you like something to eat now? There's plenty left over from dinner."

"I'm not really hungry right now." Isaaru looked past him into the room, trying at the same time to hide his nosiness. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

Rin hid a smile at the summoner's curiosity. "Not at all. In fact, I would appreciate some company if you'd like to come in."

"Thank you." Isaaru entered and sat down in an armchair, looking around the richly decorated room. Rin sat in another chair across from him, toying with the end of the bookmark protruding from his abandoned book.

"I hope I didn't put you through too much today," Rin murmured.

"No, it's not that." Isaaru turned his dark blue eyes to the Al Bhed and smiled. "I really enjoyed myself. I don't think I've had much. . . well, fun in a long time. Not since I became a summoner."

"Not even when you worked for Cid in Zanarkand?" Rin questioned with a little smirk.

"Well. . . scaring the tourists was amusing sometimes." Isaaru almost smirked back, though a faint blush came to his cheeks. "But no. . . it wasn't very fulfilling."

"And riding a runaway chocobo is?"

"Being rescued from one is." Isaaru's blush heightened, and he looked down at his lap. Rin's smile grew; this was promising. "How is your back?" the summoner went on after a moment. "The ride couldn't have been good for it."

"I am a little sore," Rin admitted, rubbing his lower back unconsciously. "And unfortunately my regular masseuse is in Luca. I suppose I'll just have to endure," he added with a chuckle.

"I could try it if you want," Isaaru offered quietly.

Rin studied the young man's face, trying to decipher his motives, but Isaaru still wasn't looking at him. "I would be very appreciative, if it's not too much trouble."

"I wouldn't have offered if it were." Isaaru finally looked up and gestured to Rin's bed with a smile. "Go on, lie down."

After removing his short yellow coat, Rin obeyed and lay face down on the bed. Isaaru moved over to stand beside the bed and leaned down to place his hands on the Al Bhed's shoulders, gently kneading the tense muscles there. Rin moaned softly as Isaaru's hands moved over his back, sometimes finding a knot and rubbing it until the cramped muscle relaxed. Isaaru worked his way downward until he reached Rin's lower back.

"Press hard," Rin murmured, "with your palms. I'm the tensest there."

"All right. . . like this?" Isaaru leaned over him, putting most of his weight on his hands against Rin's back. The Al Bhed caught his breath as Isaaru's soft hair brushed against his skin. Rin's back, however, refused to relax.

"A little harder. . . ."

"I can't. . . unless. . . ." Isaaru lifted his hands and coughed a little. "Is it all right if. . . I get on the bed?"

"Of course," Rin replied breathlessly. He heard Isaaru's robe rustle, then felt the added weight on the bed as the summoner knelt there. Isaaru's hands returned to his back and as he pressed his full weight on them, the catch in Rin's back finally gave way and a ripple of almost-pain moved through his body as the muscles relaxed.

"Oh heavens," he moaned. "Perfect. I'm forever in your debt, my dear."

Isaaru chuckled lightly, running his hands back up Rin's spine. "Is there anywhere else, Lord Rin. . . ?"

Rin hesitated; the feeling of having Isaaru practically on top of him, touching him so intimately, had excited him. Still, he didn't want to tempt fate too much. "No, that's enough."

"Oh. . . all right." Isaaru slid off of him, straightening his robes awkwardly as he stood once more. Rin turned to look at him and was surprised to see he looked disappointed.

"Isaaru-" Rin sat up reluctantly, then he smiled up at the younger man. "Thank you. I've never felt better."

Isaaru smiled slightly in return. "You're welcome. I think I'll go get something to eat now before I go to bed."

"I'll bid you good night then."

Isaaru nodded. "Good night, Lord Rin." After he left the room, quietly closing the door behind him, Rin sank back onto the bed and closed his eyes with a blissful sigh. He thought of the way the summoner had looked at him, the way he blushed and spoke of being rescued by Rin, even if it was from a cranky old chocobo. . . . Just maybe Isaaru had feelings for him as well.


	3. Chapter 3

Rin had learned long ago that things rarely went as planned, and he usually compensated for this in his schemes. In the case of Isaaru, Rin had made allowances for all the problems he could think of, including having to compete with someone else for Isaaru's affections. The one thing he hadn't considered was that there would be someone else after himself.

The woman in question was in her mid-twenties and the daughter of one of Luca's wealthiest men. Her father controlled the leading spherecast station and had made quite a fortune from it. Her mother controlled the father, and she had announced to him about a year previous that it was high time their daughter got married. After reviewing the girl's prospects, she had settled on Lord Rin as a suitable husband (without, it may be noted, consulting either the prospective bride or groom on the matter). The father agreed, although he was known to not be overly fond of the Al Bhed race. Perhaps it was Rin's wealth that overruled his ethnicity, or perhaps the station owner simply didn't want to start an argument he knew he'd lose. At any rate, the parents began putting their daughter in Rin's path at every opportunity.

The girl, whose name was Naiara, didn't seem to mind her mother's choice and did her best to fulfill her end of the bargain by flirting determinedly with Rin whenever she got the chance. Before he grasped the situation, Rin had enjoyed her attentions as he did those of all his other admirers. After all, with her softly curled brown hair and wide blue eyes, she was rather attractive.

However, once he found out that Naiara's objective was to get him to marry her, Rin began avoiding her at all costs. This wasn't easy, since he was a major backer of the father's station and was expected to be at many of the same meetings and parties as the family. Recently, the efforts to catch Rin had slacked off, causing him much relief. Therefore, it was a surprise and great disappointment when his staff informed him at breakfast that Naiara had sent a message from Luca that she would be arriving in Mi'ihen shortly for a "brief vacation from the city."

"Who is Naiara?" Isaaru asked Rin as they walked along a small path that led down to the beach. Rin hoped to at least avoid the woman's arrival by being away from the travel agency that morning; besides, it was another chance to be alone with Isaaru.

"She's the daughter of a business associate," explained Rin. "Her father must have heard I was staying on the Highroad for a while, and he sent her out here to keep an eye on me."

"Your business associates are that involved in your personal life?" Isaaru questioned in amazement.

 _You have no idea,_  thought Rin glumly. Aloud, he responded, "I'm sure he wants to be informed immediately if I'm doing anything scandalous that might reflect badly on him."

"I see." They had reached the rocky beach, and though there was only a small amount of coarse grey sand there, Isaaru slipped off his sandals and walked barefoot towards the water. "I suppose it's not unlike being a summoner- you have to behave properly. At least now I don't have to worry what anyone thinks of me."

Rin couldn't conceive of a life of not caring what others thought. "Don't you care about  _anyone's_  opinion?"

"Well. . . I try not to." Isaaru looked down at the water lapping at his bare feet. "I know my brother, Maroda, didn't approve of my working at Zanarkand, and neither did Lady Yuna. But I kept doing it all the same. Eventually I changed my mind, but Yuna had to work quite hard for that to happen." He smiled slightly, glancing back at Rin. "And when it  _did_  happen, it was not because she disapproved of me. I changed my mind because I realized she was right in wanting to keep Zanarkand sacred. And you know what I thought of  _your_  opinion that a travel agency should be built there."

"Oh yes," Rin chuckled.

"But Rin. . . why should you care about other people's opinions either?" Isaaru asked, turning back to face him. Rin was secretly thrilled; it was the first time Isaaru had spoken his name without the title of "Lord." "You're rich enough to do whatever you want. I'm sure this single businessman isn't important enough to your well-being that you have to put up with being spied upon."

Rin calmed his rushing pulse enough to reply. "Well, in a way I can do whatever I want. . . but if he found that I was doing something illegal, say, running a chocobo fighting ring out here, not only would he quit doing business with me for fear of getting colored with the same brush, he would tell all his associates to avoid me. Then they would tell  _their_  associates, and so on. I suppose it really depends on who the person is: what most people think doesn't affect me in the long run, but if the person is important enough, or rich enough, he or she could destroy me."

Isaaru turned away from him again and took a few steps along the water's edge. "Then I guess it doesn't matter to you what I think."

"Isaaru, of course it does!" Rin protested, moving towards him a few steps.

"Why?" The summoner poked a stone with his foot, then gave Rin an oblique look over his shoulder. "I'm not important or rich, unless you consider me to have some kind of hold on Zanarkand. And even so, you know as well as I do that I couldn't stop you from putting an agency there if you really tried. With your connections, you could just have me removed if I caused problems."

"Isaaru, I wouldn't do that. I should hope that by now you'd know I wouldn't." Rin came to stand beside Isaaru and laid his hand on the younger man's shoulder. "And I  _do_  value your opinion of me."

Isaaru looked down. "Hm. You don't know what my opinion is yet."

"Oh." Rin withdrew his hand and curled it at his side. When Isaaru didn't go on, Rin prompted, "Well?"

The summoner took a deep breath. "I find you somewhat arrogant, although it's to be expected considering your station in life. You're also exceedingly stubborn, and you have more money than is good for you." Suddenly Isaaru turned to face him with a smile that positively lit up his beautiful face. "And I can't help but like you in spite of everything."

Rin felt himself grin in sheer relief. "Oh? And why is that, my dear summoner?"

"You care about people. You care a lot about yourself too, of course, but you can't hide the fact that people matter to you." Isaaru moved a step closer until their noses almost touched. "No matter how hard you try."

"Then I stand accused." Rin put his hand back on Isaaru's shoulder and squeezed it gently. "And. . . I'm glad you like me."

Isaaru didn't try to escape his touch, but a slight apprehension crossed his face. "And what. . . what do you think of me?"

"Well, you're every bit as stubborn as I am, although I can't say that you're arrogant. You've kept to yourself for too long, and you need to give other people a chance. Oh, and you give an amazing massage. In short- I like you too."

They stood looking at one another for a moment, then Rin moved his hand from Isaaru's shoulder to lightly touch his face, trailing his fingertips along Isaaru's jaw. The summoner tilted his head into Rin's touch, drawing in his breath. "Rin-"

"I also think you're very beautiful," Rin interrupted softly. Isaaru flushed and let Rin draw him the last few inches forward into a soft kiss. Rin only brushed Isaaru's lips lightly, then pulled back to see the results.

"Rin," Isaaru murmured again. He hesitated just an instant before pressing his lips against the Al Bhed's once more. Rin put his arms about Isaaru's waist and held the summoner close as he gently probed Isaaru's lips with his tongue. Immediately, the summoner opened his mouth then moaned softly as Rin thrust his tongue inside.

When Rin finally broke off the kiss, out of breath, he couldn't keep a broad grin from his face. Isaaru looked up at him with wide, dark eyes, panting a little himself and blushing deeply.

"Isaaru," Rin whispered, "you. . . you are positively exquisite."

"I've never- never before. . ." Isaaru stammered. Rin wasn't sure if he meant that he'd never kissed another man, or if he'd never kissed  _anyone_.

Whatever he meant, Rin murmured, stroking his cheek, "And what do you think of me  _now_?"

"Oh, I. . . ." Now Isaaru was the one to smile broadly. "I like you  _very_  much." He leaned up to kiss Rin again, slipping his arms around the Al Bhed's shoulders as he pressed against him. Surprised, Rin took the summoner in his arms, thrilling at the feel of the slender body beneath its heavy robes. After they kissed, Isaaru leaned his head against Rin's broad shoulder, breathing softly against his neck.

"Thank you," Isaaru whispered.

"Oh, believe me, it is my pleasure," chuckled Rin.

"N-no, I mean. . . for bringing me here and. . . being patient with me." Isaaru laughed softly. "You're right, I am as stubborn as you are. But- I was never this happy when I was in Zanarkand."

"Neither was I."

They were forced to part soon after so they could dress for lunch. The two walked downstairs together for the meal; when they reached the table, Rin found Naiara standing politely along with his staff. Rin masked a sigh at having to introduce the two.

"Isaaru, this is Naiara, the young lady I was telling you about this morning. And Naiara, this is Isaaru. He was a summoner before our beloved Lady Yuna brought us the Eternal Calm."

The summoner was blushing but had a slight smile as he nodded to Naiara. "I'm very pleased to meet you."

"It's an honor, Sir Isaaru," Naiara replied with an answering nod. She smiled politely at Isaaru, but once they were seated, her attention was focused fully on Rin instead. He hardly noticed her across the table from him, though; he was too enraptured with the man seated beside him.

Rin and Isaaru spent the rest of the day together, taking a long walk along the Highroad hand-in-hand (although Isaaru consistently let go of Rin's whenever another traveler came in sight). Even though a few fiends still roamed the road, Rin carried a No Encounters ward to protect them, and they were unmolested throughout the afternoon.

They sat together for a long time behind some ruins, leaning against one another, holding and kissing from time to time. Rin was touched by Isaaru's shyness; sometimes the summoner would cover him in kisses, only to pull back a minute, blushing and looking down in embarrassment at his own forwardness. By the time they finally parted at bedtime, after spending the evening talking in Rin's room, Rin realized that he'd completely lost his heart to his beautiful summoner.

Late the next morning, Rin and Isaaru walked back down to the beach, where Rin took the summoner's face in his hands and kissed him deeply. Isaaru's arms had just crept around Rin's neck when a startled gasp interrupted them. Rin looked up to see Naiara standing at the crest of the edge of the rocky beach, staring.

"L-lord Rin," she stammered. "Your attendant said I'd find you here, but. . . I. . . didn't mean to interrupt."

"It's all right," Rin forced himself to say as he stepped back from Isaaru. Isaaru blushed brightly with an embarrassed smile, until he raised his eyes to Naiara again. His smile faded as he saw the bewildered, hurt look she gave him, though she quickly masked it with a polite smile of her own.

"Naiara, did you. . . need me?"

The girl looked away from Isaaru and turned back to Rin, biting her lip. "N-no, it. . . can wait. I trust I'll see you at the noon meal, Lord Rin?"

"Yes, of course." Rin bowed formally as she nodded to him and Isaaru, then hurried back to the inn. He sighed heavily when the girl had disappeared, and when he looked at Isaaru, the younger man was studying him unhappily.

"Did I get you in trouble?"

"No, of course not," Rin replied hastily.

Isaaru didn't look as if he believed him. "Well, if she is here to keep an eye on you like you said, I don't think that was the sort of thing she was supposed to find you doing."

"Isaaru, it's all right," insisted Rin.

"Hm." Isaaru looked out at the water a moment, then started back towards the inn. "I'm going in to get cleaned up for lunch. I'll see you later."

"All right." Rin watched him go with growing apprehension. If anyone else in Mi'ihen had seen him, he wouldn't have given a flying flan, because like Isaaru himself had pointed out, Rin was wealthy enough to do what he wanted, no matter what his employees thought. But Naiara. . . there was a good chance she'd go straight to her father, who would likely sever all business ties with Rin for spurning his daughter- particularly for another man.

 _I'll have to talk to her,_  Rin thought.  _Make up some story that she'll buy._  But what kind of story would explain why he was kissing Isaaru?

The sun was almost at its zenith, so Rin turned and trudged back up the path toward the inn. He'd have to decide soon.

\--

Lunch was an awkward affair. Isaaru seemed engrossed in his food, and Naiara barely touched hers, being too busy staring at first Isaaru, then Rin. The latter tried to make conversation, but even his employees were mostly silent, sensing the strain in the room. After the meal, such as it was, was over, Rin asked to speak to Naiara privately. They went outside to the back of the travel agency, where Rin hoped they would be safe from the ears of his employees.

"Naiara, about this morning-"

"Lord Rin, you don't owe me any explanation." Naiara kept her eyes focused on the ground and her hands clasped before her.

"No, please listen." Rin sighed heavily and drew his hand through his hair. "Isaaru and I- we only really met a few days ago. I don't want you to think that this has been. . . going on while-" A noise behind him caused Rin to break off and turn around sharply, but there was nothing there. "If one of my employees is listening-"

"Rin, I understand," Naiara said, suddenly dropping the formality of a title and meeting his gaze for the first time. "You don't want me to think you've been seeing this- this ex-summoner while others were. . . pursuing you."

"Exactly." If by others she meant herself, but it was more or less what Rin had been trying to say. At any rate, Naiara looked happier, which was a good sign.

"Don't worry, I can imagine that you get a little impatient with the way things are in Luca. I can't blame you for taking a diversion." She laughed a little shakily. "And to think I was silly enough to assume things were serious between you two!"

So she thought Isaaru was just a "diversion" for Rin- that he escaped the pressures of Luca and courtship by running away to the Highroad and kissing other men. And probably she thought he might still marry her.

It would be so easy to let her think that- but it was so untrue.

"Uh, Naiara. . . ."

"Yes?"

"I can't speak for Isaaru, and it  _has_  only been a few days but. . . I care for him, very much. I appreciate your discretion in the matter, but I don't want you to think that he means nothing to me."

"Oh!" She looked at him in silence a moment, her blue eyes searching his green ones. "Are you saying that. . . never mind." Her eyes returned to the ground. "I see that my impression of the situation was more accurate than not. I'll be returning to Luca then- I don't want to cause you further embarrassment."

"Naiara-" Rin started, but she ignored him and walked away. Rin sighed but there was little he could do.  _Let her go,_  he thought tiredly, leaning against the back of the travel agency.  _It was bound to happen eventually unless I married her._  Suddenly, he didn't care what Naiara might say in Luca about him- he had Isaaru, here, and that was all that mattered.

Or so he thought, as he came out from behind the building and started checking over the chocobos. Only moments later, Isaaru emerged from the agency carrying his belongings.

"Isaaru," Rin called warmly, then he noticed the pack Isaaru had. "What- are you going somewhere?"

"I'm going back to Zanarkand," Isaaru said quietly, looking down just as Naiara had.

"But- why?"

"I think it's best for me- for both of us."

Rin felt like the ground had fallen away from beneath his feet. "If this is about Naiara, she's gone back to Luca. She won't be a problem-"

"You asked me to give you a chance to change my mind. I granted one, and you failed to change it," Isaaru said coldly. "I belong in Zanarkand, not here."

"But-" A look at Isaaru's stony face told Rin that further protestation was useless. "All right. I concede."

He stepped forward and put his arms around the summoner. Though he didn't respond, Isaaru didn't pull away either, and Rin embraced him tightly, resting his chin on the younger man's shoulder. He tried to memorize every detail of how Isaaru felt against him: his slender body beneath the voluminous silky robes, the soft tendrils of hair that had escaped his ponytail and brushed against Rin's cheek, his scent. Everything about him was beautiful to Rin, even more so since Rin was losing him.

Still, Isaaru made no move to embrace him in return; he only stood still and let Rin hold him. Finally Rin let his arms drop and stepped away from the summoner.

"Have a safe journey," the Al Bhed said huskily as he turned away, unable to look at Isaaru.

"Rin- goodbye." Isaaru's voice might have trembled a little, but Rin didn't wait around to analyze it. He hurried into the travel agency, pulling his goggles down to hide his eyes.

"I'm going to be returning to Luca," he said brusquely to the attendant.

"Yes sir," she replied with a hint of puzzlement in her voice. "I'll have a hover ready."

"No, I'll take Pekpent." Rin walked past the desk to the entrance to the inn. "See that he's saddled, please."

"Yes. . . sir."

By the time Rin emerged, still wearing his goggles, the hover carrying Isaaru had long since disappeared. Rin mounted Pekpent, who was quite docile despite his previous wildness, and started riding south towards Luca. It was a lovely day, which made the task Rin set before himself- to enjoy the ride- a little easier. Though it was already mid-afternoon, he judged that he could make it to Luca a little after nightfall.

However, the farther he went, the less he wanted to reach Luca. Who knew what kind of scandal was awaiting him there, depending on how angry Naiara was and how much she had talked. Rin was also feeling the loss of Isaaru keenly and wasn't sure if he could hold up to dealing with business as usual. At times, he was dangerously near tears, and Rin felt caught between wishing he had never laid eyes on Isaaru and being thankful for the little time they'd had together.

Rin paused beside the statue of Mi'ihen. The sun was in the midst of setting, and a few last darkly gold rays fell across Pekpent's feathers. When the wind blew just right, he could already hear the noise of Luca; usually it was welcome, but now. . . he wanted to run the other way. Rin tugged on the reins and turned Pekpent off the road, glancing up at Mi'ihen's giant stony face as he rode past into the tall grass. Pekpent seemed a bit confused but took it all in stride, snatching bites of the grain that grew atop the grasses as he went.

In Rin's early days as a merchant, when he had traveled from place to place on foot, he had done quite a bit of camping out. It had been years of course, but he was still faintly embarrassed at his stiffness after sleeping outside at Zanarkand. Maybe a chance to prove himself to the elements would do him good. He reined in Pekpent when he was just out of sight of the road and staked the chocobo so he could graze but would not run off. The sun was gone by then, and the stars were just starting to appear.

Rin hadn't brought any food for the short journey, but at least he had carried water with him as always in case of emergency. After he and Pekpent drank, Rin lay down, resting his head on the chocobo's saddle and pulling the saddle blanket over him. Lying on his back gave him a clear view of the stars. Perhaps in Zanarkand, Isaaru was even now standing on the roof of the temple, looking up at those same stars.

"My beautiful summoner," Rin whispered, not caring how clichéd or melodramatic he sounded with only an old chocobo to hear. "I miss you already. . . ." What fun was there in life without Isaaru? What point was making money, being successful if he had no one to share it with? And how on Spira had he gotten so attached to another person in just a few days?

"Maybe I love him," said Rin.

"Kweh?" Pekpent peered down at him, then went back to grazing.

Rin heard faint sounds from behind him, on the distant Highroad. Some sort of commotion apparently- there was the thunder-like rumble of hovers, and when the breeze shifted, a ". . . kweh . . ." reached them, causing Pekpent to look up for a moment. Then the breeze moved again, blowing cool now against Rin's face and towards the road. Silence surrounded them, and Rin tried to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Rin slept surprisingly well and did not wake until late morning. Pekpent was growing impatient by that time, "kweh"ing loudly and pulling at his tether.

" _Xiead_ ," Rin shushed the bird. He rolled over onto his stomach and slowly raised up on his arms to ease back into a sitting position. His back wasn't hurting  _too_  badly, despite a definite chill in the air.  _Almost winter again,_  thought Rin as he stretched and patted Pekpent's neck. Time certainly passed more quickly than it used to.

Rin saddled Pekpent and mounted, then started back towards the road. He would rather have stayed out for the rest of the day, but he hadn't eaten since yesterday noon. . . and anyway, what good would it really do to put off his entrance to Luca any longer? Once they were back on the Highroad, it only took a few minutes to reach the outskirts of the city. To Rin's surprise, the man who worked there under his employment renting hovers and chocobos to travelers stared when Rin approached, then rushed towards him eagerly.

"Lord Rin! You're all right!"

"Er, shouldn't I be?" Rin asked, reining in his chocobo.

"When you didn't show up in Luca last night, we were certain something awful had happened to you!" the man gushed.

Rin frowned. "How did you know I was coming to Luca?" The young man, however, had already raced toward the city bearing the good news that Lord Rin hadn't be mauled by a Chocobo Eater after all.

"I'll maul  _him_  for leaving the chocobos and hovers unattended," Rin muttered. He locked all the hovers himself and made sure the chocobos were securely tethered, then entered the city.

If Naiara had told anyone about Rin and Isaaru, they had forgotten all about it in their joy to see Rin alive and well. When he reached his office, housed in the same building in which he lived, in a wing of Luca's inn, one of his assistants greeted him with the news that he had several people waiting to meet with him.

"One young man has been here since yesterday!" she exclaimed, already hanging on Rin's arm. "He's the one that told us you were supposed to be returning to Luca- you'd better see him first. He was nearly frantic until I told him you were back!"

"Fine, fine," Rin grumbled as he detached her from his arm. "Although I don't know how he or anyone else knew I was coming. Which one is he?" Rin asked as they entered the chamber outside his office where his appointments usually sat. However, as soon as he glanced at the people waiting to see him, he knew: Isaaru was sitting at the head of the line, fidgeting nervously.

"Rin!" He jumped to his feet, his face breaking out into nearly-tearful relief. "You're all right!"

The attendant was ruffled at the lack of reverence Isaaru showed. "Sir, if you will show Lord Rin some respect and please sit. . . down. . . ." she trailed off as Rin hurried over to Isaaru and clasped his arms.

"Isaaru. . . ." It was all Rin could do not to kiss him right then in front of the startled attendant and other guests. "Y-you've been here since last night, all this time?"

"Yes, I-" Isaaru broke off, looking down and shaking his head a little so that his long hair waved on either side of his face. "But please, see these other people first. They're very busy, and I can wait." The "other people" waiting for Rin included several of Luca's most important businessmen and -women. (Thankfully Naiara's father was not among them.) While they were all no doubt "very busy," Rin would have been perfectly happy to make them wait all day.

"Erm, yes, if you're sure you don't mind," Rin said reluctantly as he took Isaaru's arm and led him out into the hallway outside the office's waiting room. "You can wait in my chambers if. . . if you won't leave," he finished weakly.

"Rin," Isaaru murmured, "I've been waiting for you here nearly a whole day. A couple more hours won't kill me." The summoner smiled up at him with a look in his cobalt eyes that made Rin tremble.

"But what. . . why did you change your mind?" asked Rin helplessly.

Isaaru laughed aloud. "I forgot to mention impatience when I was describing you. Go take care of your business; I'll tell you later."

"All right. I'll have my assistant show you where to go, and. . . I'll be there as soon as I can." Rin touched Isaaru's hand lightly, only to have the younger man bring Rin's hand to his lips and caress it softly. After he let go, Rin walked back into his office in a daze. He somehow managed to ask his assistant coherently to show Isaaru to his private rooms, not caring about the odd look she gave him.

Rin's mind was hardly on business that day, but he did notice that although every person he talked to expressed her or his relief at his safety, no one so much as mentioned Naiara or anything she might have said- not even one woman who was close friends with the girl's enterprising mother. So, apparently, Naiara had said nothing at all. Rin silently thanked her and decided that somehow he would make it up to her.

In his excitement over Isaaru's return, Rin even forgot to eat anything until his assistant tactfully reminded him that his remaining guests might like some lunch. Yet to Rin's great frustration, more and more people arrived throughout the afternoon, and he resorted to sending the assistant to check on Isaaru several times.

Finally, in the late afternoon, Rin finished with his last client. After dismissing his assistant for the hour before dinner, Rin hurried to his chambers. To his relief, Isaaru was still there, engrossed in a book. He didn't even hear Rin come in until the Al Bhed sat in a chair next to his and gently took the book out of his hands.

"Oh- Rin." Isaaru blushed faintly and smiled. "Are you finished?"

"Yes, and it's about time. I am sorry for making you wait even longer." Rin sighed and rubbed his tired eyes. "Dinner is in an hour. I. . . assume you'll be staying," he finished hopefully.

"If. . . if you'll have me," Isaaru whispered.

"Of course," Rin assured. "Now, will you tell me what happened? Certainly I'm glad to see you, but. . . I. . . ." He broke off a moment to steady his voice, which had begun to shake. "I thought I would never see you again."

Isaaru cast him an apologetic look. "I really did intend to return to Zanarkand to stay but. . . the whole journey there, I kept thinking about what you said, about the gunner whose world had moved on. I don't want to be like that," Isaaru said forcefully. "Before the Eternal Calm, we summoners were always people whom the world had left behind. We had nothing to do but seek Sin, and when we found it, die- if we didn't die first on the way. I don't want that life anymore."

"But. . . isn't that way of life gone, with the Eternal Calm here?"

"No." Isaaru shook his head so quickly, his ponytail swung back and forth. "It wasn't, not for me. I was still waiting to die- until you came. And. . . before I even got back to Zanarkand, I asked the hover pilot to bring me back to Mi'ihen. . . to be with you." Isaaru gave a shaky sigh. "But when we got there, they said you had already left for Luca, so I came here. I wanted to tell you that you were right." He smiled slightly. "The next time you decide to camp out, please let someone know. I was afraid something had happened to you."

"If I had know I would cause this much commotion, I would have come straight to Luca. But of course, I didn't think anyone would expect me here," Rin said ruefully. "I just needed some time alone, to think."

"About. . . Naiara?" Isaaru murmured.

"No. I was thinking about  _you_." Isaaru's cheeks flushed and he looked down at his hands folded in his lap. "And to think the whole time you were right here in Luca thinking I'd gotten eaten by a fiend." Rin chuckled then fell silent for a moment, realizing that Isaaru was uncomfortable. Finally, Rin stood, deciding to give the summoner some time to compose himself. "Isaaru, if you'll excuse me, I need to get ready for dinner."

"Of course." Isaaru stood as well, then abruptly took a step towards Rin and embraced him. "Rin- I'm sorry!"

Rin put his arms around the summoner and held him tightly, lips pressed to his hair. "For what, my dear?"

"For how I behaved yesterday," Isaaru mumbled into his shoulder. "For leaving you."

"Please, don't worry about it, Isaaru. I should have behaved differently as well. I'm just glad you're here now." He couldn't resist lightly kissing Isaaru's pale forehead as he drew back. The younger man shivered and held Rin to him long enough to kiss his mouth warmly.

"You can go now," Isaaru said shakily but with a little smile. "I'll go back to my own room in the inn to dress." It took all of Rin's will power to let Isaaru leave him, though his thoughts were firmly fixed on the summoner as he showered and dressed.

Dinner was a considerably fancier affair than on the Highroad, usually lasting well into the night. That night, however, Rin cut the festivities short and managed to escape with Isaaru after only an hour. He gave Isaaru a brief tour of his estate's grounds as they went out to check on Pekpent, who had been housed in the chocobo stables.

On the way back, Rin pointed out, "Your room at the inn will be at no cost, of course, since you had to spend the night here. I hope you've found it to your satisfaction."

"Yes, of course," Isaaru assured him. "Although, I'm not quite ready to turn in yet, if you don't mind entertaining me a little while longer," he added with a smile.

"I'd be delighted." Rin gave him a playful little bow, then led Isaaru back to his own chambers.

"How did your back hold up to your camping trip last night?" Isaaru teased as Rin shut the door behind him.

Rin smiled ruefully, stretching a little. "I'll say it was better than sleeping on a stony roof, and leave it at that."

"If it would help," murmured the summoner, "I. . . could give you another massage."

Rin caught his breath, remembering the feel of Isaaru's cool hands on his back in Zanarkand. "That. . . that would be lovely."

He slipped out of his jacket and lay down on his stomach on the bed, noting with pleasure that this time, Isaaru knelt behind him immediately. The summoner placed his hands on Rin's lower back and began to knead his tense muscles, applying pressure in exactly the right places to relax him.

"Mmmm," Rin breathed, resting his cheek against his pillow. "You really have a talent for this."

Isaaru laughed lightly. "It's said that summoners are innately good masseurs. Lady Yuna is supposed to be quite the magician at it."

"With all due respect to her ladyship, I believe I prefer your hands, Isaaru," whispered Rin.

"I-I'm glad. You seem very tense," Isaaru said quickly, as if trying to change the subject.

"Stress, most likely," Rin admitted. "I was rather worried until I arrived this morning and spoke to my guests. I. . . was sure Naiara was going to start quite a scandal here."

Isaaru's hands faltered a moment, then resumed their task. "Rin, that. . . that's the real reason why I intended to return to Zanarkand- not because I wanted that life back, but because I didn't want you to have more trouble because of me."

Rin tried to look back over his shoulder at the summoner. "Isaaru, it's all right. She didn't tell anyone."

"But she could have!" protested Isaaru. "Especially with. . . with what you told her." His hands slowed, until they came to rest lightly on Rin's shoulder blades.

"What I. . . told her?" Rin asked slowly.

"Yes, I. . . ." Isaaru faltered, then he blurted out, "Rin, I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have, but I- I was listening when you talked to her yesterday, behind the travel agency. I heard you tell her that you. . . cared for me."

Rin exhaled slowly. "I do care for you, Isaaru, very much. I wasn't entirely honest with you about Naiara. She wants to marry me- mostly because her parents have urged her to, for my money. I think they sent her to Mi'ihen, thinking we'd be alone together and. . . you know. But she saw you and me, and. . . I was sure she'd be so angry she'd tell everyone in Luca about us. But when I went to smooth things over with her- I didn't care. I couldn't lie and say you meant nothing to me."

"But you told me before that someone like her father could destroy you!" Isaaru murmured.

"Yes- he could destroy my reputation and my business anyway. But in the end, I realized I'd rather that happen than deny what I feel for you, Isaaru." Rin smiled bitterly into the pillow. "And then you left. Last night, I was sure that I had lost everything in Spira that mattered to me except old Pekpent."

Isaaru's hands trembled upon Rin's back. "Rin, I only left because I thought it would be better for you. I didn't want to- I wanted to stay with you! That's the  _real_  reason I came back."

Rin turned on his side and looked up at the younger man, touching the side of the summoner's face hesitantly.

"Isaaru. . . you have worked with Cid, so perhaps you will appreciate this. Once, he asked me just what I was saving up all my money for. He had been under the impression that I was going to rebuild the ancestral Home of the Al Bhed, and he couldn't understand why I had decided against it. I told him that the past was past, and that instead I was going to build a home of my own. I have since decided to build this home of mine on the Old Highroad."

Isaaru smiled. "I can't think of a lovelier place to live."

"Indeed." Rin curled his fingers under Isaaru's chin. "You don't have somewhere else to go now that you've left Zanarkand?"

"No, I. . . ." Isaaru flushed. "Do you mean. . . you want me to live. . . with you?"

"I know we've only known each other for a short time, but I want you near me," Rin whispered. "Only if you want to, of course. You could stay in the northern settlement if you think it's too soon-"

"I'll come with you," Isaaru interrupted him with a smile. "I've been alone too long. I realize that now, because being with you these past few days has made me so. . . so happy."

Rin could scarcely believe it. "You're- you're sure?"

"Perhaps," breathed Isaaru, uncharacteristically mischievous, "you'd better kiss me again so I can be certain."

Rin put his arms around the summoner, drawing him closer until the younger man's body was pressed against his. "Gladly," he whispered, then kissed him softly. Isaaru almost melted into his arms, sucking gently on Rin's lower lip and tangling his long fingers in his golden hair.

"Yes," Isaaru panted a moment later when he drew back for breath. "I'm sure, Rin. I- I feel for you what I told you I felt for Zanarkand."

Rin smiled and kissed him again, lightly. "And what is that, my dear summoner?"

"I love you."

It was about the last thing Rin had expected to hear. "Isaaru-"

The younger man lowered his dark blue eyes. "I'm sorry. . . . That's not the sort of thing a former summoner should say, is it?"

"Maybe not." Rin tilted Isaaru's pretty face up to meet his eyes, his own heart fluttering with emotion. "But I'm glad to hear it- because I love you too, Isaaru, dearly." He gently stroked the summoner's light brown hair back from his face then whispered more lightly, "You know, if you'd prefer not to sleep in the inn tonight, I could arrange it."

"Mm." Isaaru laughed softly and lay down against Rin, snuggling in his arms. "I think I would prefer to sleep right here."

Rin echoed his laugh and tugged a decorative blanket over them both. "Tomorrow I have some things to take care of here, but after that we should be able to go back to the Highroad." He kissed Isaaru's pale forehead fervently. "I'm thinking it's time for me to become more. . . selective about my business ventures. Say, things that would necessitate so much travel here to Luca, for instance."

"Really?" Isaaru smiled softly.

"Yes. . . . I think it's about time I settled down and spent more time out of the city. . . in our new home on the Old Road."

"I'd like that." Isaaru nestled closer to him, then chuckled. "I assume Pekpent would be coming too?"

"Of course. You know, he was quite well-behaved for me yesterday- I think perhaps he's just been jealous of all the attention I was giving you." Rin added, "He'll just have to get used to it though."

Isaaru started to reply, but he was cut off by a yawn. Rin smiled and reached over to turn out the lamp on his bedside table.

"Get some sleep, my dear. We have a long day ahead tomorrow if we're going back to the Highroad."

"I don't mind," Isaaru murmured drowsily. He was soon asleep in Rin's arms, leaving the Al Bhed alone with his thoughts. He hadn't quite meant for things to turn out this way: true, he had gotten Isaaru out of Zanarkand, but in turn, Isaaru was getting  _him_  out of Luca- away from the busy world.

_Well, then let the world move on,_  Rin decided, closing his eyes and holding his summoner close. He would be happy to stay behind, as long as Isaaru was at his side.

\--

The End


End file.
